KERSHAW FAMILY HISTORY
“In the beginning…..”
In 1805,in the small township of Kershaw, South Carolina, slaves were working from sunrise to sunset on the Kershaw’s family plantation. On September 29, 1805, in the slave quarters, a female child was born named Elizabeth. Although her mother was a slave, Elizabeth was born a free child due to the fact that her father was the slave master. In compar
ison to slave children on the plantation, Elizabeth’s life was reported as being quite pleasant. She finished grade school and had the opportunity to complete some secondary school. When Elizabeth was of age, she received 25 acres of land from her father. Elizabeth later settled on her land in the township of Mechanvilles, which was located between Woodrow and Bishopville South Carolina. Her address was P.O. 12 Mechanvilles, South Carolina. Although never married, Elizabeth gave birth to two sons, Shadrick and Friday Kershaw. They were born between the years of 1830-1840. Shadrick moved from Mechanvilles to the Rafting Creek and Statesburg Township. There he married Carolina (last name unknown) who borne five children:
1. Byrum Kershaw, who had two children, Eddie and Harry
2. who had two daughters who names are unknown
3. James Kershaw, who had 13 children, Thomas, George, Lawrence, Mary, Jake, John Wesley, Henry, Shadrick, Elizabeth, Hattie, James, Benjamin, and Louise.
4. Hattie Kershaw Glover, who had three children Marquerit, Leroy, and Johnny
5. Mallie Kershaw, who had three children, Peter, Sadie, and Rosa. All of Shadrick’s children have past, leaving his legacy to his grands, great grands and great great grands to continue. Friday Kershaw, who later became Reverend Friday Kershaw, married Sylvia Sanders. They lived in the township of Horatio County, South Carolina. TO this union twelve children were born oldest to youngest.
1. Kershaw, who has two children, Cassie and Sally.
2. Florence K. Dixon, who has two children George and Jimmy.
3. Ida Mclane, who has six children, Willie, Kershaw, Alice, Lottie, Florence, and John.
4. Hayes Kershaw never married, or had any children.
5. Alice Kershaw James, who has seven children, Patsy, Maggie, Walter, William, Sylvia, Mamie, and Marsh.
6. Ella Kershaw James, who has three children, Ervin, Ida, and Henry.
7. Hattie Phillips, who has two children, Edith and Julian Phillips.
8. Sylvia Kershaw Jackson, who three children, Maude, Edward and Mae.
9. John Wesley Kershaw never married or had any children.
10. Friday Kershaw Jr., who has one child, George
11. Walter Kershaw
12. Susie Kershaw Richardson, who has two children, Susie Virginia, and William H.R, Jr,
These are the seventeen grandchildren of Elizabeth Kershaw. In 1860 Elizabeth stilled lived in her house in Mechanvilles. When the Civil War was ending in 1865, Elizabeth was still living, but after 1870 we were unable to locate her. Elizabeth had two children 17 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, and host of great great grands and so forth and so on. By Sandra K. Blanding
